Abstract

Unsafe abortion is a significant, but preventable cause of maternal mortality in Zambia. We compared the trajectories of women seeking safe abortion with those receiving care following unsafe abortion. We interviewed women (n=112) accessing care in a large government hospital about their experiences. The study captured a third termination trajectory in which women received medical abortion outside the study hospital from qualified (legal) and unqualified providers. The advice of others, perceptions of risk, economic cost and delays in care seeking and receipt all influenced which trajectory a woman followed, as well as the complexity and timing of her trajectory.